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ADDRESS OF 
THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON 

AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE COWPENS AT 
SPARTANBURG, S. C, MAY ii, iSSi. 



From the Charleston (S. C.) News and Courier, May 12, iSSi. 
*********** 

Governor Hagood then introduced Mr. Thomas Wentvvorth 
Higginson, of Boston [Cambridge], representing tlie States of 
Massacliusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut, 
who came forward and delivered the following oration on behalf 
of the New England States : 

MR. HIGGINSQN'S ORATION. 

In' rising to speak for New England, at this time, I have the 
generous pleasure of remembering that the battle we celebrate 
was one in whose honors the New England Colonies had absolutely 
no direct share. The victory of Cowpens, called by Banci-oft "the 
most extraordinary' victor}- of the war," was won exclusively by 
the men of the Southern Colonies, if we include Delaware in the 
classification. New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island 
and Connecticut were here unrepresented, although it must be 
remembered that the Southern Department was then under the 
command of a Rhode Island ofKcer, General Greene. The New 
England States now aid in celebrating a courage and good fortune 
which they would gladly have shared, but can merely honor and 
commemorate. This only increases the sincerity, and perhaps 
even the value, of their tribute. Men usually have tlie credit of 






more complete impartiality when they compliment the children of 
their neighbors than when they praise their own. 

Yet, in a wider sense, we of New England may claim our share 
in every event of that great contest which found us a group of 
scattered colonies and left us a Nation. I have come hither, as 
it happens, from the original camp-ground of the first Continental 
army, in Cambridge, Massachvisetts. On the edge of that old 
camp-grovmd stood my father's house. From its windows my 
childish eyes looked out upon the spot where Washington first 
drew his sword as commander-in-chief, and where Morgan and 
his ninety-six Virginia riflemen pitched their tents. Not far from 
that spot is the house where Washington was quartered, and 
where the poet Longfellow now adds the associations of literature 
to those of war. The day before leaving home I stood upon the 
doorsteps of that stately mansion, the very steps on which Wash- 
ington and Morgan may have stood together, debating the dangers 
of the land, or perchance the homelier gossip of their Virginia 
neighbors. I bear you greeting from that historic house, from 
that famous camp-ground, from the Washington Elm, from the 
Governor of Massachusetts and from the Governors of those New 
England States now representing that portion of the Old Thirteen. 

The battle of Cowpens, although hardly more than a skirmish 
when tried by modern standards, was in its day, according to the 
British historian Stedman, '•'• a very principal link in the chain of 
circumstances which led to the independence of America." Lord 
Cornwallis himself described it, in a letter quoted in Tarleton's 
'•'• Campaigns," as being " an vmexpected and extraordinary 
event." It was extraordinary in three ways : It was a victory 
of a smaller over a larger number ; it was to a great extent a 
victory of militia over regulars ; it was a victory -won upon a 
ground so selected as to reverse the ordinary precautions of good 
strategy. To draw up an inferior force for a pitched battle di- 
rectly in front of a broad river has always, seemed to the military 
critics very imprudent. But this very act showed the daring and 
the foresight of Morgan. When blamed he afterwards answered : 
" I would not have had a swamp in view of my militia on any 
consideration ; they would have made for it, and nothing could 






have detained them from it As to retreat, it was the 

ver}' thing I wished to cut oft' all hope of. I would have thanked 
Tarleton had he surrounded me with his cavalry." Braver and 
shrewder words never were spoken by a military commander. 

In respect to the disparity of numbers we have the authority of 
the editor of Cornwallis's correspondence, who states the whole 
number on the British side as 1050, and admits Morgan's force 
to have been "hardly equal." The contemporary estimate of 
the American force, by Governor Moultrie, was 1020; but this 
was undoubtedly exaggerated. Graham has since reduced the 
number actually engaged on the American side to 850, and Greene 
to 800. When we consider that the British loss comprised 80 
killed(io being officers), 150 wounded and 600 prisoners, and that 
the Americans lost but I3 killed and 69 wounded, the result was 
simply amazing. Few battles, where the advantages of position 
were so nearly equal, have ever showed such inequality of results. 
And when we finalh' remember that ever}^ one of Tarleton's men 
was a veteran soldier, while Morgan's Continentals made but 
about half his force, we can understand the amazement of Corn- 
wallis when the news came in. We need feel no surprise when 
Moultrie tells us that he heard the paroled prisoners at Charles- 
ton deploring the folly of "• entrusting such a command to a boy 
like Tarleton." Yet, after all, no general is to be blamed for at 
last encountering a general more brave or more fortunate than 
himself. 

Others have detailed or will detail for you the remoter results 
of the victory at the Cowpens. How far away seem now the 
contests of the revolutionary time ! Between those days and these 
has rolled the smoke of a later strife, now happily passed by. To 
heal the terrible wounds of the later contest ; to criticise each 
other nobly and frankly, as friends, not vindictively, as ene- 
mies ; to encounter side by side the new social problems of the 
new age ; this should now be the generous rivalry of the descend- 
ants of the •• Old Thirteen." There are sins enough for all to 
repent ; errors enough for all to correct. It is useless now to 
distribute the award of praise or blame. There is not a State of 
the Union which has not its own hard problems to work out, its 
own ordeals to go through. No State can dare to be permanently 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



4 011 712 419 

clouded by the ignorance of any class of its people, or to allow 
any class to oppress any other. The bad effect of a single act of 
injustice may be felt among children's children. But each gene- 
ration learns its own lessons, and Time is the great healer. I 
have seen for myself, since the war, upon Southern soil, the spec- 
tacle of two races whose whole relations were utterly wrenched 
apart, and "who are yet learning, year by year, to adapt them- 
selves to the new and changed condition. No people ever had to 
face a harder problem. We of the North, believe me, are not 
ignorant of the difficulties, the temptations, the mutual provoca- 
tions ; nor can we forget that the greater responsibility must rest 
upon the more educated and enlightened race. Noblesse oblige I 
In the words of President Lincoln at Gettysburg : "With malice 
towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as 
God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work 
we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds." *"' 

Mr. Higginson's delivery was^^ery happy and easy, and elicited 
freqttent bursts of a^lciu'& and good humored laughter. 

'»* * * * * ****** 

At 6 o'clock Governor Hagood gave a I'eception at the Windsor 
Hotel. Regular toasts were offered and responded to as follows : 

By Governor Hagood: "The Thirteen Original States." 
Responded to by Governor Jarvis, of North Carolina. 

By Col. H. S. Thompson, of South Carolina: " The Army of 
the United States." Responded to by Gen. Hunt. 

By Ex-Governor Bonham : " The Southern States." Res- 
ponded to by Judge Christian, of Virginia. 

By Capt. James Simons: "The New England States, the 
Cradle of iVmerican Liberty." Responded to by Col. Thomas 
Wentworth Higginson. of Massachusetts. 

By Col. Gilchrist: " The Descendants of Daniel Morgan. 
Responded to by Lieut. Taylor, U. S. A. 

By Gen. Bratton : "The Gentlemen of Spartanburg, the Gate 
City of South Carolina." Responded to by Mayor Thompson. 

By the Hon. J. J. Llemphill : "The Fourth Estate." Respond- 
ed to by Col. Farrow. 




0011 712419 



